Setting Up Freshwater Aquarium
You should plan your new aquarium carefully before starting to set it up: it will be difficult to make changes later.
First, decide where the tank is going to go. It will need to stand on a very solid base, preferably a purpose-designed one. For the thick blackboard or flooring-grade chipboard. This must be absolutely flat because otherwise the tank may crack as it fills. Small irregularities can be taken care of by covering the whole base with single thin layer of foam polystyrene, of the grade used for ceiling tiles; this will squash down beneath the filled tank. Check carefully that there are no pieces of grit on the prepared surface, and then carefully position the tank.
You will probably be using a biological filter; make sure it is as large as can be fitted into the tank.
Next comes the gravel. Some people like to use brightlycoloured artificial material; this is a matter of personal taste — or lack of it. Fish are indifferent about this, as they are about other aquarium oddities such as sunken ‘galleons’ or ‘divers’. Always use gravel purchased from a proper aquarium dealer, which will not contain limestone or other material which dissolves in the water. The size of the gravel particles should vary from 3mm to 6mm (1/8-1/4in) across. Any smaller and there will be insufficient space between the particles of gravel for adequate water circulation through the filter. Larger pieces of gravel leave spaces in which uneaten food can lodge and decay.
Gravel needs thorough washing to remove dust. Place it in plastic bucket and run a hose into it for at least half an hour, stir-ring frequently to allow debris to be floated away. Do not use detergents; these can be highly poisonous to fish.
Now place the gravel in the tank, first covering the filter plate with a level layer to hold it all in place, then banking the gravel towards the back of the tank. At its shallowest, the gravel depth must be at least 5cm (2in). Gravel banked up in this way will soon slump back to a level layer, thanks largely to the activity of fish digging in the bottom for food. If you want, you can prevent this by the use of rocks built into terraces, behind which the gravel is retained and built up in steps or small pockets. Use only stone sold specially for the purpose. This is usually York stone, sandstone, slate, granite or volcanic rock, none of which will dissolve in the aquarium water. Do not use limestone, unless you have a special need for very hard, alkaline water. The most decorative rock is water worn, but this is quite expensive. Small pieces can be locked into place by a dab of silicone adhesive (remember to give it time to cure before adding water).
Water worn wood is sometimes used for decoration. This must be very old to be safe, and should be soaked for a week or so tore move impurities. It usually needs anchoring with ‘rocks to hold item place.
Always remember to position rocks so that they are built up towards the rear and sides of the tank: this creates an illusion of greater depth. If you are going to keep shy or retiring fish, it is worth constructing some small caves or hiding places at this stage. Paradoxically, the more hiding places there are, the more comfy-dent and less inclined to hide the fish will be.
Next, the heater(s) and thermostat can be installed. The heater must be positioned against the back of the tank, either horizontally or at a slight angle. Plastic suckers fitted with a clip can be used toehold it in place. It can be concealed behind rocks, which should be placed so that they allow plenty of room for water circulation. Never allow the heater to touch the rocks or gravel, or it will quickly become covered with an impenetrable layer of gravel and cement-like deposit. This can cause it to burst.
The heater in place, the thermostat can be positioned. Fully submersible types are installed exactly like the heater, as are com-binned submersible heater/thermostats. Some types of thermostat are suspended vertically in the water from the tank surface, and must not be fully submerged; special fixing clips will be provided for this type. If you have an external thermostat, it should be attached to the back or side of the tank with contact cement or double-sided adhesive tape.
Electrical connections must be made exactly according to the instructions. It may be necessary to purchase a small terminal.
Block from an electrical supplier to make the connections. Ensure that any electrical connections are well protected from _drips or splashes, and tucked away tidily behind the tank. Do not switch onto test the circuit until after you have filled the tank!
At this stage, the air pump can be installed, together with the filter. There are many varieties of corner and outside filters, and they should be assembled exactly as instructed. The air line is usually made of flexible clear PVC, and should not be too narrow, or the air-flow will be restricted. The air tube is simply pushed onto the nipple provided on the filter. If it is tight, heat the PVC tube ingot water to soften it. You can purchase three- or four-way con-nectars to allow you to connect two or more filters. An aerator stone can be installed at this stage. It is useful to incorporate small screw valves which allow the air-flow to the filters and the aerator to be varied to give maximum efficiency; otherwise, you may find nearly all the flow going to power just one airlift.
Don’t forget to fit the thermometer. It may be easier to attach while the tank is empty.
The tank can now be filled. It is best to stand a glass or plastic bowl on the gravel and to pour water into this, thus breaking up the flow which would otherwise shift the gravel. Cold water can come from a bucket or hose. Do not be in too much of a hurry, and keep checking that there are no leaks. Fill the tank to within5cm (2in) of the top, and switch on the thermostat and heater. You will soon see the water shimmering slightly above the heater. Turn on the air pump, so that the aerator circulates water and speeds up the heating process.
You must leave the tank for at least 24 hours before adding plants or fish. It will take several hours to heat up, but, more important, the aeration will drive off the chlorine which is always added to disinfect normal tap water, and which is toxic to most fish. Use the ‘waiting’ time to check that the tank has come up tithe proper temperature.
The lights can be installed at this stage. A simple metal or plastic canopy, containing fluorescent tube(s) and all the necessary fittings, is placed on the glass tank cover. Do not use incandescent bulbs: these become very hot, and have a short life when operated on their sides under an aquarium canopy.
For a tank of 60×30x40cm (24x 12x 15in) a 30 Watt tube insufficient; for 90×40x40cm (36×15x15in), you should have 60-80Watts. It is worth paying the extra for special tubes which stimuli-late plant growth. It may also be a good idea to buy a special dimmer-switch to reduce the sudden glare for the fish when the lights are switched on in the morning (normal room dimmers will not work with fluorescent tubes).
Position the canopy towards the front of the tank. This causes the light to be thrown back towards the fish, illuminating their colours. If the canopy is too far back, the fish will be silhouetted against the light and appear very dark.
All that now remains is to add plants and fish.
Setting up the freshwater aquarium tank
1. The base plate of a biological, or sub gravel filter is placed in the bottom of the tank.
2. The bubble airlift is located in thereat corner of the filter plate.
3. The plate is covered with gravel, to adept of at least 7.5cm (3in).
4. A submerged heater with a
Thermostat is placed in the tank. Before being switched on, the heater should be raised to about 5cm (2in) above the gravel. It can be attached to the side of the tank with rubber suckers.
5. Fitting the air pump to the bubble airlift. It is advisable to tidy and secure any trailing wires to avoid accidental disconnection.
6. Decorating the tank: waterwornwood, if well soaked in advance to remove any impurities, and aquatic plants make attractive additions.
7. A liquid crystal strip thermometer is a simple and inexpensive way of monitoring aquarium conditions. It can be attached easily to the outside of the tank.